Man chased 'lad' down the street armed with golf club

A heroin abuser threatened to kill an unwanted nuisance associate with a golf club while chasing him in a street, a court heard.

Christian Gibelli, 32, waved the metal putter above his head after picking it up from his home in High Street, Easington Lane, and going outside.

But his terrifying antics at 9am on Tuesday, March 12, were witnessed by a dog-walking neighbour, who called police.

Magistrates in South Tyneside heard he had inadvertently left his neighbour in fear of him and afraid to go out at night.

Prosecutor Lucy Todd said Gibelli had sworn while waving the golf club and had shouted, “I will kill you”.

She added: “The witness was walking his dog when the defendant walked down the street towards him.

“The defendant got into an argument with an unknown male and was shouting in an aggressive manner.

“He went into his home and came out with a golf club and chased the other man down the street, holding the club above his head.

“Police were called, and the witness was fearful. The defendant was located outside his address and the golf club was at the front door.

“In interview, he said, ‘I threatened to smash that lad’s head in with the golf club because he came to my house’.

“When searched, a clip bag with 35 white tablets which were identified as temazepam were found.

“The witness has amended his daily lifestyle to avoid any interaction with the defendant.”

Gibelli, who has 13 previous convictions, the last in 2016, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a class C drug.

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said: “He’s a young man who has been a long time out of trouble.

“He says he’s been having some trouble with some males near his home, and this was one of them. It’s not the case that he’s randomly chasing someone down the street.

“He has problems with heroin use that he really wants to tackle. He also has poor mental health and wants help with that.”

Magistrates sentenced Gibelli to a 12-month community order, with 30 rehabilitation days, and fined him £40, with a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

While being sentenced, he accepted he had inadvertently caused his neighbour distress.